How polluting is my cracker?

You know firecrackers pollute the air. But after this Diwali, you will also know which firecracker pollutes exactly how much.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), for the first time, will carry out what is called a “source apportionment study” of pollution from firecrackers this Diwali.

Every year, the board’s officials fan out to 10 locations across the city on Diwali and measure, with handheld devices and installed machines, the levels of air and noise pollution.

But this year, they have gone several steps ahead to determine which firecrackers are the bigger culprits and exactly what kind of pollutants they emit and in what quantity.

“This analysis will result in finer understanding of the source of air pollution during Diwali,” said S D Makhijani, senior director, CPCB.

Based on this new kind of data, the board will formulate recommendations and guidelines for greater pollution monitoring and control.

Usually pollution-monitoring data during Diwali registers the increase or decrease in the general levels of harmful gases like nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and suspended particles.

The board will monitor noise at six locations and air at 10 locations equipped with high-tech automatic machines as well as manual methods.

“While the day after Diwali we will bring out the usual data of pollution levels, the source apportionment analysis will take a bit longer and we will bring out that analysis later,” Makhijani said.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), on the other hand, will continue to monitor Diwali pollution from the usual 40 locations across the city.

A team of 40 inspectors will assist Delhi Police to check violators of the various environmental (noise) norms of bursting crackers.

“The data will be released the next day, as always. This year we might see some decrease in pollution in most of the locations because we understand that the sale of firecrackers has been less than last year,” said a senior environment department official.